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Everyone at Sheffield Wednesday was distressed to learn of the passing of club legend Johnny Fantham.

Johnny was 75 and died after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Carol and daughters Tracey and Stephanie.

The inside forward was without question one of the most exciting talents ever to pull on the blue and white shirt, amassing 434 senior appearances for the Owls and posting 166 goals.

He remains Sheffield Wednesday’s most prolific post-war marksman and is second only to Andrew Wilson in the club’s all-time goalscoring stakes.

The native Sheffielder represented the Owls for 13 years between 1956 and 1969 and was a key part of the team that lifted the Second Division title in 1959 and finished runners-up to Spurs in the top flight two years later.

He also played in the 1966 FA Cup final when Wednesday lost 3-2 to Everton at Wembley.

Johnny, who earned a full international cap for England and Under-23 honours, went on to play for Rotherham United and Macclesfield Town before hanging up his boots in 1972.
Away from football, Johnny’s great passion was golf, which he loved to play in his leisure time.

Typically, he was outstanding at that sport too and held the club record at Beauchief golf course in Sheffield for several years.

Johnny was much-loved by his family and will be greatly missed but he is now at peace.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time.

JF was in the England squad which went to Chile for the 1962 World Cup.

My mate Mick Motley was his golf partner at Hallamshire Golf Club in the 90s and early 2000s.

He still does hold the (old course) course record at Beauchief Golf Club. 62 I think.

Some of the old guys in the 90s who knew him, said that he regularly drove the 1st green. That's well over 300 yards, uphill, with old wooden headed drivers and old wound balls!

I reckon the photo (top), must be his testimonial, against Sheffield United, and it looks like he must have played for United in the first half.

When I started work, (at The Fountain Precinct, Barkers Pool), in 1979, I used to see him through the window of his barbers shop at the bottom of Division Street most mornings. Gave me a thrill, knowing that I'd seen him play at Hillsborough in 1966/67 ish. Even though I had no real memory of it.

A true Wednesday legend - a word that is used far too lightly, about people who are nothing of the sort.